Boat ramps on weekend mornings buzz with promise. Families organize coolers and gear, anglers stow tackle, and uncooperative boat trailers are coaxed into the water. Then outboard motors howl as weekend helmsmen warm them up, filling the air with an acrid cloud of blue exhaust. Why blue? That's the universal indicator of an old, simple two-stroke (aka two-cycle) engine burning special oil mixed with its fuel for lubrication.

Although bass, walleye and pike won't catch any breaks soon, at least that noise and smelly exhaust are fast becoming a thing of the past. The Environmental Protection Agency requirements for cleaner outboards, which come due in 2006, and the even stricter California Air Resources Board regulations of 2001, have spawned a new generation of quieter, cleaner-running four-stroke outboard motors that are steadily supplanting two-strokes on family recreation and fishing boats.

Four-stroke engines, with their mechanically driven sealed-combustion valvetrain, are heavier and bulkier than equivalent two-strokes. And four-stroke performance often seems sluggish when compared to the more nimble two-strokes that produce power twice as fast, or on every second piston stroke (hence the engines' name).

Four-strokes sacrifice throttle response for better emissions control and smoother running, but they don't work well in all applications. Competitive bass fishermen still prefer the two-stroke's low-end punch and higher power-to-weight ratio. "There is not enough speed and not enough torque in the four-strokes," says Paul Shore, production manager for Skeeter Boats. "They don't perform on a par with the two-strokes."

Yet, Mercury Marine helped make a dent in that attitude last year with its Verado series, the first four-stroke outboards with a supercharger under the cowling. The result is lots of response even by two-stroke standards--plus smooth, clean operation.

Boatbuilders are responding to four-strokes by altering hull design. Widening the back end below the waterline provides more buoyancy and, as a bonus, yields extra interior space. Builders are tweaking deep-V hulls, which excel at high speeds and on rough water, as well as upgrading the stable, roomy semi-V-style hulls. Center consoles and dual consoles, with a starboard driver's seat, are also being enhanced.

This year's new crop of fishing and family boats in the 18- to 25-ft. range are the popular entry point for beginning boaters, and the size of choice for serious trailer-boat fishermen. Now that builders have accommodated the new powerplants, here's a look at what's new on the water this spring:

Fountain Powerboats, known for its fast deep-V hulls, has parlayed its racing heritage into fishing boats, notably on the kingfish tournament circuit where going fast means getting to the fish ahead of the competition.

Fountain redesigned its 23 Center Console fish boat this season to carry the Mercury 275 Verado ($89,556 for the hull and motor), which the company says will push it along at 60 mph. The 23 has a deep-V hull similar to the Fountain 42-footer that was clocked at more than 170 mph last summer. The 23 is essentially a shorter version of that speedster, reconfigured with a hull that's wider than the previous 23's. It also has more cockpit and fishing space.

ADAPTABLE BAY BOATS
Notable in this spring's lineup is the "bay boat" phenomenon. A hybrid of center-console fishing boat and runabout, these stable, low-sided hulls adapt to just about any kind of fishing. They hit the market a few years ago and haven't stopped selling since.

Pathfinder's bay boats are exemplary in the category. The company has deepened the V on its 2200 V Tournament Edition ($38,900 with a Yamaha F150), originally designed for inshore fishing, to handle rougher water. The firm also added voluminous live wells to suit anglers who go after striped bass. With front and rear raised casting decks and abundant rod and gear storage, fishing drives this design, but it's also well-suited for family fun. Rated for up to 250 hp, with a Yamaha VZ200 and two people, it hits just over 57 mph.

FAMILY FISHING

This year, builders once known for specializing in bass boats are turning their attention to multiuse recreation and fishing boats, with a couple of venerable brands offering family-focused models.

Ranger Boats introduced the versatile 1850 Reata ($28,500 with a Yamaha F150). "We've been building deep-Vs in tournament-type boats," says Randy Hopper, president of Ranger. "We wanted to build a family boat that would take on those same qualities. The Reata was built to accommodate the heavier motors people are buying and still maintain driveability."

The 1850 is rated for up to 175 hp and is designed to carry both a bow-mount trolling motor for shoreline fishing and a kicker-usually an 8- to 10-hp outboard-alongside the main motor for deep-water trolling. The walk-through windshield protects passengers and allows bow-to-stern access for both anglers and waterskiers. In recognition of the boat's family chores, the design includes floor lockers to store skis as well as rods and tackle, and a recirculating live well to keep bait frisky.

Skeeter, which built the first fiberglass bass boat in 1961, launched a new walleye and multispecies fishing boat for 2005 in the WX1880 line ($33,270 with a Yamaha F150). The 1880's semi-V hull favors the needs of freshwater fishermen with an extra 5 in. of transom to keep the water out and the motor dry when backtrolling, a popular method of presenting baits to walleye, stripers and crappie. With 90 in. of beam carried clear to the back, there's added interior space and enough lift to carry up to a 200-hp motor plus a kicker, for trolling.

MORE STORAGE

Price, durability and a high-sided design with twin consoles and windshields for rough conditions have made Lund a leader in freshwater fishing boats. This year's Mr. Pike 17 ($11,800 for the hull) continues with the successful 16- and 18-ft. models in the same line. There is enough flotation in the hull to carry a 150-hp four-stroke plus the trolling kicker motor.

"Our most popular setup is with a 115- or 150-hp engine, which can go between 41 and 45 mph," says Keith Boyne, who oversees product development for Lund. Improvements to this 2005 version include better storage. The 7-ft. under-floor rod locker, for example, can hold a full tournament's worth of rigged gear.

LUXURIOUS FAMILY FISHING

If creature comforts are important, and those creatures are family and friends with some fishing on their minds, there are a couple of new four-stroke designs that put comfort first.

The interior layout of Grady-White's new dual console Tournament 185 ($35,070 with a Yamaha F150) offers more passenger protection and seating than a center console. Upgrading to the larger 225 model brings a bracket-mounted outboard on the full-width transom, which gives the feel of a 24-footer to a boat that's 2 ft. shorter. A collapsible bench seat along the transom provides convenient passenger space when running, then folds flush and out of the way when the rods or wakeboards come out. This is a design problem builders have been trying to get right for a long time, and it's not surprising that innovative Grady-White came up with a worthy solution.

With only slightly less fishing pedigree and a big reputation for comfort and safety--these hulls float even if you cut them in half--the Boston Whaler 235 Conquest ($62,500 estimated, with a Mercury OptiMax 225) is a family cabin boat tweaked to handle the Mercury Verado 225/250 and carry a dozen passengers. Retooling extended the starboard side of the hull, where there's a swim platform and collapsible boarding ladder. The port transom corner holds a small live well for bait. The forward cuddy cabin and windshield offer protection from the weather when needed, making the 235 a great choice for a family's first venture into boating.